History

Founded in 1910 as an Old Catholic monastery, Mount Royal's mission and work continued under Old Catholic auspices until 1962. In that year the community was received into the patriarchal Russian Orthodox Church by its American exarch, Bishop Dositheus (Ivanchenko) of New York. For several years, the monks of Mount Royal staffed a Western Rite chapel in the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Manhattan, later moving to Woodstock, New York. Bishop Dositheus' successor, Archbishop John (Wendland), blessed and confirmed the Western Rite observance and mission of Mount Royal and the leadership of its abbot, Dom Augustine Whitfield.

In 1975, under Abbot Augustine, the monastery was received into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia by Archbishop Nikon (Rklitzsky), who again authorized and blessed its mission and observances.

In 1993, the former Prior of Mount Royal, Dom James (Deschene) founded Christminster in Rhode Island, which subsequently relocated to Hamilton, Ontario.

In 2010, Abbot Augustine reposed and was succeeded by Abbot David (Pierce).